A Tour of Jewish History in Australia
www.ajhs.info/jha
 Click on the early Australian flag to left to transfer to Home Page of the Australian Jewish Historical Society


Australia
and
Israel

To Right:
Cover of recent book by Chanan Reich.
The Elizabeth Cohen, which voyaged between Sydney and Port Macquarie 1834-1846
JEWS
and
BOATS 		Pix of Alexander Marks in consular regalia complete with sword
INTERNATIONAL
TRADE
JEWS
in
COMMERCE 		Flyer for premiere of movie Chapel of Chic
SCHMATTES:
the
clothing
trade 		Churcher portrait of Rabbi John Levi
PORTRAITS
of
Notables
The proclaimed Australian flag 1903-1909 featuring six-pointed Federation Star
The Australian flag features a Union Jack, symbolic of our British connection, the five stars of the Southern Cross, and a large Federation Star. Above is the official flag of Australia 1903 to 1909 which features a six pointed Federation Star, in the outline shape of the Star of David. The six points denoted the six states that were united at Federation. With the acquisition of the first "Territory" the Federation Star became seven pointed.

Australian Jewish History Jews have been an integral part of Australia’s history since the beginning of European settlement. In the First Fleet that landed in Sydney in 1788 there were at least 14 Jews, and Jews participated in the initialisation of the first settlement in Port Phillip, the establishment of Hobart, Melbourne, and Adelaide. And the story continues, with the numerically small Jewish population in the forefront of development of Australia,

The very first constable was a Jew, as was the printer of the original "Australian" newspaper (Sydney, 1836), and as was the composer of the first Australian opera. Jews have participated in the pioneering settlement of Australia, in public affairs, in the professions, in the Arts, in commerce and trade, and in the development of industry and technology in Australia. Of especial high prominence are the two Victorians
Sir John Monash the leader of the Australian Forces in World War I Sir Isaac Isaacs the first Australian-born Governor General
In sum, Jews have participated fully and equally in the course of Australian history starting with the First Fleet of 1788.

Click on the timeline banner to see the detailed sweep of this history, or click on the links to particular topics.
Eureka flagJEWS of EUREKA Ita Buttrose signatureIta Buttrose and many other Australians have Jewish forebears pix of Monash from $50 note
MONASH 		Winter view of the gates of Auschwitz HOLOCAUST The Australian Jewish Community has the highest percentage of Holocaust survivors of any diaspora community.
Aboriginal flag Individual Jews, and since 1964 Jewish organizations, have been involved in the fight for aboriginal rights. Historic Sites My Jewish Carlton: the centre of Jewish Melbourne up to about 1960.
Alex Jezalenko high mark Grand final 1970
Czek stamp celebrating Peter Ginz The Story of Peter Ginz Ozzie Jewish Artists montage of 3 images of Rimona Kedem Newspaper Cuttings Certificate awarded to Nobel Prize winners with Australian as awardee name Australian and New Zealand Jewish Nobel Prize Winners
Portrait of Henry Lawson
Henry Lawson
1867-1922

Joseph's Dream
and
Reuben's Brethren

1905
In colonial Australia a detailed knowledge of the Torah (aka Old Testament) was held by all literate (and semi-literate) Australians. Hence in this colourful and popular poem the biblical saga of Jacob-Isaac and Joseph is expressed in terms of the Outback by the nationalist writer hero Henry Lawson who proclaims "My best friend was a Yid". [Click to read poem in a new window]. Sketch of Yossi Birstein by Yosi Bergner Acclaimed as Australia's most talented Yiddish poet, Yossel Birstein (1920-2003) grew up in Poland, with Yiddish as his mother tongue, coming to Australia when still a teenager. At age 24, he learnt his family had been lost in the Holocaust, and "his poetry rises to the task of commemorating them, and people of his hometown Biala-Podolsk as well - in unsentimental yet heartrending lyrical verses" Birstein's collected poems, translated into both English and Hebrew, are now online at http://www.yosselbirstein.org/ [ Link opens in a new window. ].